Official Review: The Very Hungry Moth by Ronnette Curls

[PeterRabitt20]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Very Hungry Moth" by Ronnette Curls.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Butterfly caterpillars devour garden vegetables, juicy fruits, and green leaves. But what do moth larvae eat? This winsome story is about what makes young larvae stomachs rumble and grumble.

Up in a dark and damp attic, a moth egg hatched in the fibers of an old rug. This newborn larva is already famished. She crawls behind a closet door and finds plenty of food to munch, nibble, and gnaw her way through. To metamorphose into a healthy moth, the larva has a special diet. What does a moth larva eat? Apples? Pumpkins? Leather belts and cashmere sweaters?

Written and illustrated by Ronnette Curls, The Very Hungry Moth reads like a "cousin" version of the famed book entitled The Very Hungry Caterpillar, authored by Eric Carle. Although they may have some semblance, Curls’ story is distinctive and stands in its own lane. After all, moths and butterflies are related to one another—both belong to the classification of Lepidoptera.

The first thing that caught my eye is a hand-drawn moth in the opening pages. This sketch shows simple, yet artful, details; for instance, a pair of feathery antennas, four delicate wings, and a distinct dotted pattern. I was curious enough to google the types of moths; the illustration looks like an imperial moth. This sudden want for more information is the most positive aspect of this book. The reader feels immediately engaged in the story.

Also colored by hand, the rest of the drawings are just as pleasing and cartoon-like. The larva has expressive eyes and facial features. She looks like the parent moth, with her antennas and the pattern on her body. Most of the pages contain an image; the leftover foods, the close-up of a fat larva, and the transformation into a fully grown moth. An added positive point goes for these comical illustrations.

On top of being humorous, the storyline is a three-pronged plot: First, it is an easy-reader that helps with fluency. Second, it has a natural science theme. Third, it develops counting skills for preschool-level readers. In addition, at the end of the book, the author adds a paragraph summarizing the similarities and the differences between moths and butterflies.

Each of these points clearly shows the positive aspects of this book. However, the negative aspects were the subject-verb agreement and capitalization issues. One issue, in particular, was the inaccurate use of “larvae” as a singular form—according to dictionary sources, the correct singular form is “larva”.

Overall, I rate this title 3 out of 4 stars. I deducted one star because of the inaccuracy and grammar issues. I didn’t give a 2-star rating since the plot was hilarious, and I enjoyed this story.

If The Very Hungry Caterpillar is already on your bookshelf, I highly recommend adding The Very Hungry Moth alongside it. I also recommend it to preschool readers learning their numbers. Fear of arthropods and insects is common among some children; thus, caretakers should use their own judgment. I cannot think of anyone to whom I would not recommend this book.

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The Very Hungry Moth
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[Smmwallace]

This sounds like an entertaining yet educational book for young readers. Thank you for your informative and great review!

[Becca Olsson]

This. Sounds like a great book for younger readers to encourage their reading and curiosity of bugs. Thanks for the great review!

[Kristy Khem]

I don't like moths, but maybe the kindergarten kids in my class may like this buggy story. Nice review!

[WADonnelly]

This seems like a great book for children and to teach them about these creatures too. A really wonderful and detailed review!

[PeterRabitt20]

This sounds like an entertaining yet educational book for young readers. Thank you for your informative and great review!

You're welcome and thank you for stopping by!

[PeterRabitt20]

This. Sounds like a great book for younger readers to encourage their reading and curiosity of bugs. Thanks for the great review!

Yes, it is. I hope it helps in some ways. Thanks for stopping by!

[PeterRabitt20]

I don't like moths, but maybe the kindergarten kids in my class may like this buggy story. Nice review!

I prefer butterflies myself, but I'm sure your class will enjoy them! Thanks for stopping by!

[PeterRabitt20]

This seems like a great book for children and to teach them about these creatures too. A really wonderful and detailed review!

Yes, moths don't always get the spotlight! Thanks for stopping by!